Here's chapter four…
My cell started ringing really loudly, and I flipped it open before it could wake Jenna up.
"Hello?" I asked, putting the phone to my ear.
"Hey, Dawson, it's Shane."
"Hey!"
"Why are you awake so early?" He asked disgustedly.
"Why would you call me if you didn't think I would be up?"
"Well, I was planning on leaving a message."
"Anyways, 8 isn't early," I pointed out.
"You're joking, right?" Shane asked skeptically.
"If you think it's so early, then why are you up?"
"The stupid sun woke me up. Nate didn't close the blinds," Shane groaned.
"If the sun's up, you should be, too."
"Says the person who doesn't have to wake up at 5 o'clock on a regular basis! I mean, I'm on vacation, here!"
"Are you kidding me? Ever heard of high school, Gray?" I asked, incredulous to his belief that normal teenagers could sleep as late as they want.
"You have to wake up at five?"
"Mhmm."
"Ouch."
"Nah, I don't really mind…I just take a quick jog before my shower, and I'm good to go," I explained.
"Anyways…wanna hang out today?"
"I'm not sure if I can. Jenna's not awake yet, and I don't know if she has a class today."
"Well, if she doesn't, she should come, too," Shane suggested. "And I'll bring Nate and Jason!"
"Hmm. I don't know if I'm ready to handle all three of you guys at once."
"There are four of us, if you'd like to include our drummer," Shane corrected smugly.
"Even better," I said sarcastically. I heard heavy footsteps coming into the living room, and I looked over my shoulder. Jenna was rubbing at her heavy eyelids, still laden with sleep. "Morning, Jen," I said, holding my cell away from my mouth.
"Morning," she replied, her voice raspy with sleep. "Who you talking to?"
"Shane." I couldn't help the wide grin that broke out across my face. "You have a class today?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry! I have one at 4, but that's it for today. It should last about 2 hours."
"That's okay," I replied, and Jenna gave me a grateful smile before walking into the kitchen, her feet dragging.
"Jenna has a class today at 4," I said, putting the phone back up to my ear and sighing.
"Why's that bad?" Shane asked, insulted.
"I came to California to see my sister, not you."
"Ouch. That hurts," Shane replied. "Anyways…see you at 4 by the pool! I'll be the one with three little ducklings trailing after me!" The line went dead.
"Shane!" I groaned to a dial tone.
I got up from the couch, dropping my phone into the cushion that I had been occupying.
"Jenna, Shane wants me to meet him at the pool at four," I groaned as I walked into the kitchen, my long pajama pants dragging on the hardwood floor.
"Why is that bad?" She asked, her expression confused. "Otherwise, you would just be sitting here for 2 hours!"
"He's bringing Nate and Jason!" I explained, using my hands for emphasis.
"Ooooh!" Jenna squealed. "Say hi to Jason for me!"
"Jenna!"
"I still don't see the problem, Meggie."
"What if they don't like me?" I asked meekly.
"Meggie, what's not to love? Anyways, if Shane likes you, they will, too." She smiled. "Don't forget to put in a good word about me with Jason."
-x-
"Bye, Meggie! Have fun! Don't forget to be ready to go to dinner at 6:30!" Jenna called as she walked out of the hotel room to go to class at 3:45.
"See ya, Jen!" I called after her. I went into my room and grabbed some flip-flops, and then I threw my hair into a sloppy bun. I checked my outfit again – a coral pink halter bikini under pale yellow Soffees and a white tank top – and completed the look with my white sunglasses on top of my head.
I grabbed my cell phone and walked out of the door a couple of minutes early, determined to beat Shane to the pool this time.
I got to the humongous pool before Shane (ha!), so I scouted out five empty chairs in a row. I finally found some on the far side of the pool and spread out on one of them. I took off my shirt but left my Soffees on, and I closed my eyes – I still wasn't tan after a two of days in Cali.
After a couple of minutes, somebody poked my stomach, and I screamed instinctively, jerking up to an upright position.
"Gray!" I squealed over his hearty laugh.
"Hahaha! Somebody's ticklish!" He was cracking up. I glared at him when he started holding his stomach from laughter.
"It's not that funny," I said grumpily.
"Lighten up, Dawson," Shane said, a huge grin still on his face.
"Where're your ducklings?" I asked, eager for a subject change.
"Well, you didn't seem excited that they were coming…I don't know why. They're awesome guys." He sat down on the empty chair on my right. I didn't say anything, and he broke out into a huge smile. "Anyways, I am going to set you and Nate up. Don't you worry about that, Dawson."
"I don't think so, Gray," I replied, my eyebrows raised.
Shane laughed again. "Oh, come on. You guys were practically made for each other."
"Mhmm, riiiight." I answered skeptically.
"Dawson, are you serious? If I had said that to any other girl in the entire country, they would probably break my eardrums. And here you are, rejecting him?"
"I'm not 'any other girl', Gray. And I don't like blind dates."
"Well," Shane smiled, "it's not exactly a blind date, is it? For you, at least…I mean, you probably know everything from his favorite color to what cologne he wears."
"Once again, I'm not 'any other girl'. So, although I do know that he's gorgeous, that's about the extent of my knowledge."
"Now, isn't that enough?"
"Go away, Gray." I moaned, laying back down on the plastic chair and turning away from him.
"Come on, Dawson," he said as he put his hand on my shoulder and rolled me back towards him. I covered my face with my hands to hide my amused smile. "Okay, fine! I'll set you up with one of my friends, and you set me up with one of yours."
"Yeah, right, Gray. First of all, I already said that I don't do blind dates. Secondly, I don't know anybody in California, except for you and my sister, and, hate to break it to ya, but she's more of a Jason kind of girl."
"You're impossible, Dawson."
Some of this stuff doesn't make loads of sense with the Connect Three characters instead of the Jonas Brothers. If you'd like to read the story in it's original form (I promise, it's better!) then head on over to and read the story under the same name and penname. :)